Monthly Archives: November 2023

101 Things God Said (About Healing)

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The following scriptures on health and healing were compiled by Keith Moore and are printed out here, with permission from Keith Moore Ministries.

Keith Moore begins with:

How do we know whether it’s God’s will to heal us or not? It makes little difference what others say about it. What did He say about it? Remember that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10: 34), and He never changes (Malachi 3:6). So what He said to them yesterday, He is saying to you today. God’s Word is God speaking to me.

(These statements are taken directly from the Bible with little or no variation. The verbs and construction have been changed to apply to you personally and to sum up the thoughts in some instances. Also, many of these statements are prefaced by phrases like, “If you walk in My commandments,” “If you believe…obey…” etc.)

Old Testament:

1.  I am the Lord that healeth thee (Exodus 15:26).
2. Your days shall be one hundred and twenty years (Genesis 6:3).
3. You shall be buried in a good old age (Genesis 15:15).
4. You shall come to your grave in a full age like as a shock of corn cometh in his season (Job 5:26).
5. When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you (Exodus 12:13).
6. I will take sickness away from the midst of you and the number of your days I will fulfill (Exodus 23:25, 26).
7. I will not put any of the diseases you are afraid of on you, but I will take all sickness away from you.  (Deuteronomy 7:15).
8. It will be well with you and your days shall be multiplied and prolonged as the days of heaven upon the earth.  (Deuteronomy 11:9, 21).
9. I turned the curse into a blessing unto you, because I loved you (Deuteronomy 23:5 and Nehemiah 13:2).
10. I have redeemed you from every sickness and every plague (Deuteronomy 28:61 and Galatians 3:13).
11. As your days, so shall your strength be (Deuteronomy 33:25).
12. I have found a ransom for you, your flesh shall be fresher than a child’s and you shall return to the days of your youth (Job 33:24, 25).
13. I have healed you and brought up your soul from the grave; I have kept you alive from going down into the pit (Psalm 30:1, 2).
14. I will give you strength and bless you with peace (Psalm 29:11).
15. I will preserve you and keep you alive (Psalm 41:2).
16. I will strengthen you upon the bed of languishing; I will turn all your bed in your sickness (Psalm 41:3).
17. I am the health of your countenance and your God (Psalm 43:5).
18. No plague shall come near your dwelling (Psalm 91:10).
19. I will satisfy you with long life (Psalm 91:16).
20. I heal all your diseases (Psalm 103:3).
21. I sent My word and healed you and delivered you from your destructions (Psalm 107:20).
22. You shall not die, but live, and declare My works (Psalm 118:17).
23. I heal your broken heart and bind up your wounds (Psalm 147:3).
24. The years of your life shall be many (Proverbs 4:10).
25. Trusting Me brings health to your navel and marrow to your bones (Proverbs 3:8).
26. My words are life to you, and health/medicine to all your flesh (Proverbs 4:22).
27. (My) good report makes your bones fat (Proverbs 15:30).
28. (My) pleasant words are sweet to your soul and health to your bones (Proverbs 16:24).
29. My joy is your strength. A merry heart does good like a medicine (Nehemiah 8:10; Proverbs 17:22).
30. The eyes of the blind shall be opened. The eyes of them that see shall not be dim (Isaiah 32:3; 35:5).
31. The ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. The ears of them that hear shall hearken (Isaiah 32:3; 35:5).
32. The tongue of the dumb shall sing. The tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly  (Isaiah 35:6; 32:4).
33. The lame man shall leap as a hart (Isaiah 35:6).
34. I will recover you and make you to live. I am ready to save you (Isaiah 38:16, 20).
35. I give power to the faint. I increase strength to them that have no might (Isaiah 40:29).
36. I will renew your strength. I will strengthen and help you (Isaiah 40:31; 41:10).
37. To your old age and gray hairs I will carry you and I will deliver you (Isaiah 46:4).
38. I bore your sickness (Isaiah 53:4).
39. I carried your pains (Isaiah 53:4).
40. I was put to sickness for you (Isaiah 53:10).
41. With My stripes you are healed (Isaiah 53:5).
42. I will heal you (Isaiah 57:19).
43. Your light shall break forth as the morning and your health shall spring forth speedily (Isaiah 58:8).
44. I will restore health unto you, and I will heal you of your wounds saith the Lord (Jeremiah 30:17).
45. Behold I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure you, and will reveal unto you the abundance of peace and truth (Jeremiah 33:6).
46. I will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick (Ezekiel 34:16).
47. Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live. And I shall put My Spirit in you and you shall live (Ezekiel 37:5, 14).
48. Whithersoever the rivers shall come shall live. They shall be healed and every thing shall live where the river comes (Ezekiel 47:9).
49. Seek Me and you shall live (Amos 5:4, 6).
50. I have arisen with healing in My wings (beams) (Malachi 4:2

New Testament:

51. I will, be thou clean (Matthew 8:3).
52. I took your infirmities (Matthew 8:17).
53. I bore your sicknesses (Matthew 8:17).
54. If you’re sick you need a physician. (I am the Lord your physician) (Matthew 9:12 and Exodus 15:26).
55. I am moved with compassion toward the sick and I heal them (Matthew 14:14).
56. I heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease (Matthew 4:23).
57. According to your faith, be it unto you (Matthew 9:29).
58. I give you power and authority over all unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease (Matthew 10:1 and Luke 9:1).
59. I heal them all (Matthew 12:15 and Hebrews 13:8).
60. As many as touch Me are made perfectly whole (Matthew 14:36).
61. Healing is the children’s bread (Matthew 15:26).
62. I do all things well. I make the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak (Mark 7:37).
63. If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believeth (Mark 9:23; 11:23, 24).
64. When hands are laid on you, you shall recover (Mark 16:18).
65. My anointing heals the brokenhearted, and delivers the captives, recovers sight to the blind, and sets at liberty those that are bruised (Luke 4:18; Isaiah 10:27; 61:1).
66. I heal all those who have need of healing (Luke 9:11).
67. I am not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them (Luke 9:56).
68. Behold, I give you authority over all the enemy’s power and nothing shall by any means hurt you  (Luke 10:19).
69. Sickness is satanic bondage and you ought to be loosed today (Luke 13:16; 2 Corinthians 6:2).
70. In Me is life (John 1:4).
71. I am the bread of life. I give you life (John 6:33, 35).
72. The words I speak unto you are spirit and life (John 6:63).
73. I am come that you might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
74. I am the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
75. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14:14).
76. Faith in My name makes you strong and gives you perfect soundness (Acts 3:16).
77. I stretch forth My hand to heal (Acts 4:30).
78. I, Jesus Christ, make you whole (Acts 9:34).
79. I do good and heal all that are oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38).
80. My power causes diseases to depart from you (Acts 19:12).
81. The law of the Spirit of life in Me has made you free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2).
82. The same Spirit that raised Me from the dead now lives in you and that Spirit will quicken your mortal body (Romans 8:11).
83. Your body is a member of Me (1 Corinthians 6:15).
84. Your body is the temple of My Spirit and you’re to glorify Me in your body (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).
85. If you’ll rightly discern My body which was broken for you, and judge yourself, you’ll not be judged and you’ll not be weak, sickly or die prematurely (1 Corinthians 11:29-31).
86. I have set gifts of healing in My body (1 Corinthians 12:9).
87. My life may be made manifest in your mortal flesh (2 Corinthians 4:10, 11).
88. I have delivered you from death, I do deliver you, and if you trust Me I will yet deliver you  (2 Corinthians 1:10).
89. I have given you My name and have put all things under your feet (Ephesians 1:21, 22).
90. I want it to be well with you and I want you to live long on the earth. (Ephesians 6:3).
91. I have delivered you from the authority of darkness (Colossians 1:13).
92. I will deliver you from every evil work (2 Timothy 4:18).
93. I tasted death for you. I destroyed the devil who had the power of death. I’ve delivered you from the fear of death and bondage (Hebrews 2:9, 14, 15).
94. I wash your body with pure water (Hebrews 10:22; Ephesians 5:26).
95. Lift up the weak hands and the feeble knees. Don’t let that which is lame be turned aside but rather let Me heal it (Hebrews 12:12, 13).
96. Let the elders anoint you and pray for you in My name and I will raise you up (James 5:14, 15).
97. Pray for one another and I will heal you (James 5:16).
98. By My stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24).
99. My Divine power has given unto you all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of Me (2 Peter 1:3).
100. Whosoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17).
101. Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers (3 John 2).

Rather, Let God Heal

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“Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13

Don’t be discouraged; but, rather, let God heal…

Praise and praise again, despite how you may feel.

The longer we live, our confession is “the stronger we’ll live.”

Throughout our days, the more of God’s goodness He’ll give!

We walk by faith and not by sight…

God is able to restore our health from any adverse blight.

P. A. Oltrogge

Visit http://www.moorelife.org 

…for “101 Things God Said About Healing.” Click on “Word Supply” and then “Resources” for those scriptures. To hear Keith Moore’s songs, click on “Word Supply,” then, “Music.” A favorite of mine is “Healing Compassion,” which is under “Quicken Thou Me.” Be blessed by any and all of them. If you feel in need of peace, listen to his beautiful songs on the peace of God….

Mark and Trina Hankins have often mentioned praise/singing in the midst of an illness. He has taught on “the praise cure.” The book, The Spirit of Faith and many other encouraging books and materials are available at: www.markhankins.org

Andrew Wommack’s ministry is excellent, with wonderful teachings and testimonies. His books, God Wants You Well and You’ve Already Got It are available at: http://www.awmi.net

Many other ministries, such as http://www.kcm.org, cappsministries.com, and others, previously mentioned on this blog, are there to help.

We thank God, too, for skilled and dedicated people in the medical world; and God works in many ways…today I’m referencing also: http://www.chrisbeatcancer.com

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11 NIV

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.” Matthew 4:23 KJV

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…Mary’s words were in agreement with what God said through the angel, Gabriel…

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” Luke 1:38 KJV

“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45 KJV (Elisabeth’s words to her cousin, Mary, who had accepted the word of the Lord, given to her by the angel, Gabriel.)

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“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Acts 16:25-26

“And not being weak in faith, he (Abraham) did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.” Romans 4:19-21

“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.” Habakkuk 3:19 NLT

“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:29-31

“Let the weak say, ‘I am strong.'” from Joel 3:10

“My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.
Do not let them depart from your eyes;
Keep them in the midst of your heart;
For they are life to those who find them,
And health to all their flesh.
Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.” Proverbs 4:20-24

“Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5 and the entire Psalm

“He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:20-21

Healing through communion:

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

“After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 KJV

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

…Our compassionate God certainly welcomes home those who, for reasons only He knows of, didn’t make it through a life-threatening illness. Many of them did experience a number of healing triumphs previously in their lives. But we know also what His promises are concerning health and healing and how large Jesus’ ministry was on healing. Therefore, we keep our focus on Him and persevere with His word. We rejoice for those who are with the Lord now (in eternal victory) and we rejoice for those who have obtained victory over an illness….

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

…praying for you today…

Encouragement on anything…

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…I’m so thankful for the body of Christ, for when one believer may not always have words that can inspire, another believer will–sharing a message that will lift us higher….

Breaking Off Hopelessness
by Sara Whitten
Permitted to share from Elijahlist.com

Recently I was struck by the most seemingly mundane Bible verse, and I believe there is a powerful vision in it for us. In 1 Samuel 27:1, David was beginning to have friction with Saul. Saul had attempted to come against David a couple of times, but had failed. He even apologetically confessed that David was a better man than him, blessed him, and acknowledged that he would reign as king (1 Samuel 24:16-21; 26:21,25). This was, of course, long after David had been anointed and received the prophecy that he would be king. It was after he’d walked through battles with Goliath and tens of thousands of others – all with astounding victory from the Lord. Yet chapter 27 begins with these words:

“But David thought to himself, ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.'” (1 Samuel 27:1)

In light of testimonies, prophecies, and even straight from the mouth of his enemies, David had much to hope for. Yet a persistent (and lying) thought said, One of these days, I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. Because of this, he moved into the land of the Philistines (his enemies), which eventually led to the raid of Ziklag…which almost got him stoned by his own men. It didn’t change the fact that Saul never did destroy him. It also didn’t change the fulfillment of the word that he would be king. But it created a less-than-enjoyable detour.

Our level of hope can dictate where we feel safe to settle. Because of a faulty expectation (opposite of what the Lord told him), David felt safer in the land of the enemy. Our level of expectancy doesn’t manipulate the Lord’s actions, but it does influence ours. In our own lives, what is the “thing” that the enemy keeps tempting us to expect? What is the thing that inserts the thought into our head that One of these days, I will be destroyed by _________. Anxiety, depression, illness, lack of resources; this business; this oppressive situation, etc. could all fill in our blanks.

Fortifying Your Hope

The Lord wants to use the pressures in our lives to fortify our hope and trust in His goodness, not to drive us out of our promised lands.  Even now, just through reading this word and as you feel His presence, the Lord wants to redeem your mind and break off a spirit of hopelessness; maybe even breaking it off of some of you who haven’t realized that it is there – those in whom a stronghold (place of safety) has been forged based on the enemy’s thoughts, as opposed to God’s promises and inheritance.  (Photo via Unsplash)

Merriam-Webster defines hopelessness as “having no expectation of good or success.” Turns out that any expectation about what God is going to do that doesn’t involve “good” or “victory” is probably rooted in hopelessness. Hopelessness can also be defined as “not susceptible to remedy or cure,” or “incapable of redemption or improvement.” What (or who) have we labeled as “never going to change” or “never going to get better”? Even though we know that “beyond redemption” or “without cure” doesn’t sound like God, we sometimes settle for this place as our Ziklag.

Another definition for hopelessness is “giving no reason to expect good or success: giving no ground for hope.” That caught my attention. Hope needs ground.  And God talks a lot about ground in His Word. Whether it’s the internal ground of our hearts that He is plowing and sowing in, or the spiritual ground of the territory He has given us to steward for the Kingdom, He is very clear that we control the condition of our soil (how we receive it), as well as how faithfully we occupy our land (how fully we give over/connect every part of our lives to His Word).

With hopelessness, typically strongholds happen when we deny ground to anything we don’t have reason to expect. Thinking about almost any hopeful testimony in the Bible, the people had literally no reason to expect God to move in the way He did. But He did give them a word of hope that would lead them to expect victory and good things.

The Place of Pressure: What Are You Putting Your Hope In?

The reality is that often times the places where we feel the most pressure are the places God has planned to use for His glory. David felt pressured to run from the king and kingdom when God had planned for him to become the king in that kingdom. In these places of pressure, we can let ourselves be talked out of a place of hope in the name of self-defense; we try to protect ourselves from disappointment. Hence, we let the enemy construct a stronghold for what we fear… the illusion of protection.

Biblically, hope (elpis in the original Greek) means “expectation of what is sure,” but it can also mean “expectation of good, hope” or “expectation of evil, fear.” Turns out we all are currently putting our hope (expectation/certainty) in something. Is it in the truth – God’s goodness and victory, or is it in low expectations, defeat, and fear?

Suffering That Produces Hope

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5) (Photo via Pxfuel)

The “suffering” that begins this process of hope is not the cringe-evoking suffering we’re thinking of. This word, “thlipsis,” in the original language actually means “pressure.” And what’s more, it refers to internal pressure that produces a “narrow place that hems someone in.” The place where we can become busy fighting external pressures how we see fit is sometimes the very place where the Lord wants to do an internal work as our Shepherd, who hems us in and calls us to the narrow way that makes our hope impervious.

As we remain patient (hupomone – meaning to “remain under,” as God enables), it develops character. Character (dokime) refers to our tested and true hearts, but is also seen elsewhere in the Bible when referring to the “proof of Christ.” And how often are our times of greatest pressure the times the Lord uses to develop proof of the Christ-like glory He is ever transforming us into? It is all these things – the pressure, the God-enabled endurance, and seeing Christ’s character revealed in us – that produce hope.

The Hope That Never Disappoints

This hope, Romans 5:5 says, will never disappoint. According to Collins Dictionary, disappoint is defined as “to fail to satisfy the hopes or expectations of; leave unsatisfied.” So while we, like David, may not understand exactly when or how the Lord is going to fulfill His promises, we have this assurance that He won’t almost fill or barely fill but completely satisfy the hope He has planted in us. We just need to wait with the Lord and let our hope have ground to grow in instead of fleeing our promised land and expecting lies.

Ask God (and listen for the Holy Spirit’s response), “Father… illuminate the places of hopelessness in my life. Where am I expecting less than Your goodness and victory? Remind me again of Your testimonies and words of hope over my life. Help me to discern and take captive the ways that the enemy wants to skew what I’m expecting. And help me to remain under by Your power until the full process of hope is complete.”

Sara Whitten
Arrows of Zion
Website: www.arrowsofzion.com

Have No Anxiety

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“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV

“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV

I cast all my cares upon You, Lord,
for worry is something I can’t afford.

I’ll take Your peace, instead of stress;
Your thoughts towards me are always to bless.

Oh, what a compassionate God we have.
His love for us is like healing salve.

Cast your cares on Jesus–His peace in trade;
then leave them there once you have prayed.

Now, keep your confidence–don’t cast it away.
Hold fast to your faith in Him each day.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Psalm 55:22 NASB

“Turn all your anxiety over to God because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 GW

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation!
Come, all who hear; now to His temple draw near,
join me in glad adoration.

Praise to the Lord, above all things so wondrously reigning;
sheltering you under His wings, and so gently sustaining!
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by His gracious ordaining?

Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely His goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
when with His love He befriends you.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again;
gladly forever adore Him.

Author:  Joachim Neander, 1680 (Germany)
Translator:  Catherine Winkworth, 1863 (England)

Loosely based on Psalm 103:1-6 and Psalm 150, with echoes from other psalms, this is a strong hymn of praise to our covenant God, who heals, provides for, and defends us. Let “all that has life and breath” sing praise to the Lord!

The Way to Please God

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So many religions speak of various ways to address pleasing God all of your days.

Five times a day, you could be down on your knees, with prayers to the god you hope to please.

But, really, these things are ritual merely and can’t please Him, no matter if done so very sincerely.

But there is a way to come to God, and it’s by looking to the road that Jesus has trod.

He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He paved the way for you through much strife…

released upon Him as He went to the cross, where He suffered in pain so you wouldn’t be lost

to the God who loves you and calls to you now to embrace His Son, Jesus, to Whom, one day, every knee will bow.

But only grace, through faith, is involved—all works are in vain. Through Jesus’ righteousness, our salvation is made plain.

You may want to fall to your knees when you recognize all that was done…by a God who loved so greatly, He gave His only Son.

P. A. Oltrogge

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:14 NLT

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” spoken by Jesus in John 3:16-17

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’” John 14:6

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” spoken by Jesus in John 17:3

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:21-26

“But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:22-23 NLT

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

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“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

“Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11 NLT

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“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:4-7

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“In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.

“That is why the Tabernacle and everything in it, which were copies of things in heaven, had to be purified by the blood of animals. But the real things in heaven had to be purified with far better sacrifices than the blood of animals.

“For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

“And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him.” Hebrews 9:22-28 NLT

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“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4:9-11

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted

Timothy’s Ministry–Thanksgiving

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“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His faithful love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords.
His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1-3 NLT

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

Wow! We had such a beautiful and fun time together celebrating Thanksgiving last night at Tim’s House in Chicago! I sent out an e-mail at the beginning of this week asking if anyone could help or cook for our Thanksgiving (Eve) dinner, and God provided an overflowing feast complete with every traditional dish imaginable as well as other dishes that were passed-down family recipes, and it was wonderful! Thank you to everyone who cooked and helped, including those of you who have donated financially because we were able to purchase whatever we needed to make our dinner perfect and special. Everyone loved our time together!

To top everything off, a friend reached out to ask if her Sunday School could make homemade cards for each person and give gift bags of warm socks and McDonald’s Cards. People were so surprised and there was so much joy when we passed out the gifts after dinner.

After dinner, we read several Thanksgiving Scriptures from the Bible; and after we prayed together, we went around the room and each person shared what they were grateful to God for. One man said with a smile on his face, “I am grateful that someone invited me to this place two weeks ago because I can be myself here…I can be Andre here!” He went on to say, “Out in the streets, I can’t be myself, or I would be eaten alive.” He then said, “Above all else, I am grateful for Jesus Christ in my life because whatever I face, He is always with me.” He had such a smile even though he has not had a place to live and sleeps on a train or wherever he can find shelter. We have already completed permanent housing applications for him, and we are making calls; but please pray because he is in his 60’s, and it’s more difficult to get into housing than ever before in Chicago. We want to financially support a couple of people for up to a year in housing, but there are some challenges in finding places…but I know God will open the doors!

Several people who have moved into housing this year said, “I am thankful for a shower and a warm place and a bed and feeling safe.” Someone else said, “I thank God for waking me up this morning and giving me another day because I should not be alive after what I’ve done over the years, but God protected me and saved me in more than one way!” It was a beautiful time of sharing what we are thankful for; and I personally am thankful for each of you and for all of the people who are family at Timothy’s Ministry! As Andre said, “We can be ourselves here without concern of judgement, and I believe that is because of God and His love that He pours out! Praying for you today to experience God’s love today!!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Love and Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Marian

http://www.TimothysMinistry.org

The True Meaning of Christmas, Remembered

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Here, at the Porch of the Lord, as Christmas nears…

Christmas on the Porch joyously reappears…

With a variety of Christmastime reflections on Jesus, the Messiah’s, birth–

to read this book, or share it with others, can be a gift of eternal worth.

P. A. Oltrogge

Available through: http://www.christianbook.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com, and http://www.amazon.com

To many, Christmas is about finding that special gift and tying it up with a bow;
but JESUS is the true “Reason for the Season” amidst the winter’s snow.

Today is the day that Christmas shopping officially seems to start…
Giving Christmas on the Porch as a gift can be an expression of God’s heart.

Come, ye thankful people, come…

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A blessed and happy Thanksgiving to the followers of this blog, who appreciate Biblical poetry and want to meditate on God’s Word. I thank you for reading the Porch of the Lord posts. I’m thankful for those who have been followers for a number of years and for those who’ve signed on more recently; and I do pray for you all. God bless you today and always…

P. A. Oltrogge

The following is an old, traditional Thanksgiving hymn:

1 Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

2 All the world is God’s own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

3 For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

4 Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

United Methodist Hymnal, 1989

Jesus’ parable of the wheat and tares:

“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.'” Matthew 13:24-30

The parable explained:

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, ‘Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.’

“He answered and said to them: ‘He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!'” Matthew 13:36-43

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The hymn, above, makes one think of God’s provision of harvest time yearly…but it also very much speaks of His gathering of the souls who’ve come to love Him dearly.

We give You thanks, this day, dear Lord, for Your bountiful blessings in our daily lives–but, most of all, that, having repented of our sins and having put our trust in Your Son, Jesus, the Savior of the world, we, then, as Your children, now have our names written in heaven…

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”  spoken by Jesus in Luke 10:19-20

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“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” spoken by Jesus in John 3:16-19

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13

“And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” John 1:16-18

Scriptures: NKJV

A Very Thankful Heart

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“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  John 3:14-17

Lord, help me to always have a thankful heart, even if things seem to have gone wrong–for it’s only by trusting in Your love, that the faith in my heart will remain strong.

Help me to see what’s been good, and how You have touched my days. Then, in thinking upon such things, my words will be given to praise.

Help me to thank You, in faith, for any specific blessing I might desire. Let thankfulness be my “prayer” always, for it’s that which will lift me higher.

And I should thank You in front of problems. There’s benefit and healing in laughter—believing in Your solutions before they’re seen, not waiting to have joy ’til after.

Keep me from forgetting to count blessings, or of thinking only of my own concerns; for it’s in considering the various needs of others, that any discontent turns.

Remind me to look to Your finished work and Your victory for us through the cross. As the Israelites looked at the serpent on a pole, only then were they kept from loss.

Thank You for giving me the example, of earnestly seeking Your Father’s will, so that I may do the same with my own life, seeking His plan to follow and fulfill.

Yes, even if I’ve gone through something hard or have come to a difficult place, I want to thank You for being there for me, with Your presence, Your love, and Your grace.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” Psalm 100:4 

“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15 NASB

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-4 

“All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15

“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Proverbs 15:13 …and “A merry heart does good, like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22

“Trust in Him at all times, you people. Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” Psalm 62:8

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” …spoken by Jesus in John 16:33

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 NASB

“The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 

“Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits. The God of our salvation! Selah.” Psalm 68:19

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent (of bronze) and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.’” Numbers 21:8 AMP

“‘And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.’ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” Mark 16:17-19 KJV

“And He said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.’” Luke 10:18-20 

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Colossians 1:19-20

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted.

In these times, when we may need supernatural help, we are so thankful to be able to look to the cross and Jesus’ finished work there on our behalf, for our forgiveness, well-being, and eternal life–such wonderful gifts of God. Thank You, Lord!

“He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:15-16 (and all of Psalm 91)

Have the Heart of Ruth

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We read in the Bible that Ruth, of Moab, had a loyal and loving heart. So upon the death of her Hebrew husband, she felt that she couldn’t part–from Naomi, her beloved mother-in-law, who had urged her to make her way, back to Ruth’s own parent’s home; but, instead, Ruth begged to stay.

She shared her heart, stating that where Naomi went, so, in fact, would she; where she lodged and the God she worshiped–these would also be…what she desired for her own particular life, even to her day of dying. To stay with her late husband’s “family” was the future on which she was relying.

Naomi allowed Ruth, then, to go with her on her Bethlehem-Judah return; there Ruth would find a special blessing that only God could have discerned. For there was a kinsman-redeemer through Naomi’s husband’s line, whom Ruth would meet, while gleaning in his fields, by God-ordained design.

Related by blood, willing and able to redeem this woman, Boaz entered her life; a prominent free man, total provision was hers, when she later became his wife. One can easily see an analogy here to the Bible’s New Testament account that we read…of God becoming Man, through Jesus Christ–the Kinsman-Redeemer He knew we would need.

Like Ruth, leave the “god” you once were told about; find shelter under the true God’s wings. Look to the Way, the Truth, and the Life–and experience the peace that Christ brings. Don’t try to make it on your own with God, through acts of service, however kind; there’s provision for us as “the bride of Christ,” which He, the Bridegroom, wants us to find.

P. A. Oltrogge

“If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold.” Leviticus 25:25 (The concept of a kinsman-redeemer comes out of the book of Leviticus.)

“But Ruth said, ‘Entreat me not to leave you or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.’” Ruth 1:16-17

“And Boaz answered and said to her, “It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” Ruth 2:11-12

“And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the Lord, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.” Ruth 2:20 KJV

“You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:28-30 NASB (words of John the Baptist regarding Christ, the Bridegroom)

Other references:

Enjoy an encouraging message also on the account of Ruth today, her place in the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and God’s unmerited favor upon your own life through Jesus at: http://www.josephprince.org

Matthew 1:5, Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19,20

Rejoicing to hear of those of today who have left their perception of God to find faith in Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life…

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.” spoken by Jesus in John 14:1

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'” John 14:6

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” spoken by Jesus in John 14:27

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” spoken by Jesus in John 17:3

“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true; in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20

Scriptures: NKJV or as noted